England fail to capitalise on impressive morning haul in third Test

England’s cricketers failed to take advantage of a strong morning session on the first day of the third Test against Pakistan.

Pace bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad ripped through the Pakistan line-up in the morning, with five of the top seven falling to lbw decisions.

Dejected: Bell walks off the pitch (Pciture: Action Images)

By lunch Pakistan were on 48-7, and while a swift 45 runs from Asad Shafiq in the afternoon session frustrated England, he also fell lbw, this time to the bowling of Monty Panesar , as Pakistan were all out for 99.

This left England’s batsmen with the perfect opportunity to put their nightmare tour behind them, but wickets continued to fall.

Alistair Cook and Jonathan Trott managed just three runs between them, before captain Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen steadied the ship with a 50 stand.

However, Pietersen’s weakness against left-arm spin was exposed again as he was given out for 30 in a tight lbw call, and Ian Bell and Matt Prior soon rejoined him in the dressing room, with England on 104-6 at stumps.

Anderson denied that the batsmen are going through a confidence crisis, commenting: ‘All our guys are confident – but they’re probably just not spending the time at the crease they would like.

‘Pakistan are bowling some really good balls to get us out.’

After losing the first two Tests of the three-match series, England need to win the final Test, otherwise South Africa would be able to take the top spot in the ICC Test rankings with a 3-0 whitewash of New Zealand later this month.